Following the idea of IUCN Red Data Book, similar publications were later prepared in many countries. Most of these national Red Data Books (RDBs) describe otters and thus constitute an interesting source of information on legal status and attitudes towards these animals as well. For the purpose of this article I included RDBs published in so-called East Europe and USSR: I. national RDBs from Bulgaria (1985), USSR (1985) and Poland (in print); 2. republican RDBs from Czech S.R. (1983) and 9 Soviet Republics (1978-1987)(for complete list see
references).

The description of status of the otters is summarized in Table
1. As some of the RDBs used non-standard criteria of status description, I converted them to the nearest IUCN RDB criteria
The RDBs from Byeloruss, Latvia and Lithuania did not include otter and are not listed in the Table.

The otter Lutra lutra is the most often described species among all mustelids: it is listed in 10 out of 13 RDBs (while e.g. the European
mink is listed only 5 times). Most RDBs consider it under the Rare category (5 times), three as Endangered, and two as Vulnerable. Almost all RDBs,
that include the otter, also contain information about legal protection of the species. Only the Czech RDB does not mention it. In Latvia and Kazakhstan the otter receives partial protection. The RDQ of USSR protects only two subspecies of otter:
L. lutra meridionalis Ognev, 1931 as Rare, and L. Lutra
seistanica Birula. 1912 as a Rare and Decreasing subspecies. The former subspecies is
also the only one protected by the RDB of RSFSR. Otters of subspecies L. lutra
seistanica are protected by republican RDBs from Turkmenia and evidently Kazakhstan, where those animals are
described under the incorrect scientific name of Lutra seistanica. All other RDBs mentioned in the
Table 1 confirm full protection of the species (since 1960 in Armenia; since 1962 in Bulgaria, where a penalty of 150 leva for killing the otter is also established).

Two subspecies of the sea otter: Enhydra lutris lutris Linnaeus, 1758 and
E. lutra gracilis Bechstoin, 1800; are protected by the RGBs of USSR and RSFSR, both under the Rare Category.

The national and republican Red Data Books generally reflect little interest in protection of
mustelids and the otter is the only exception. This species is recognised as Rare or Endangered and is commonly protected. Most
of RDBs indicate the presence of otters in protected areas and list protection measures to be taken. These measures, however,
are of general character (better species protection, protection of habitats) and have little value for promoting specific conservation actions. The
fact, that the otter is not listed in RDBs of Byelorussia, Lithuania and
Ukraine, as well that only selected subspecies are protected in USSR and RSFSR, seems to
reflect the conflict between furbearer and game policies.